NOTIZIE
Notizie Recenti
TURKEY: OIAD attends the 9th hearing in Diyarbakir of the trial of the alleged killers of former Bar President Tahir Elçi
Since 2022, the International Observatory for Lawyers in Danger has been monitoring the trial in Diyarbakir of the alleged murderers of former Bar President Tahir Elçi. The latest hearing in this trial was also observed by The OIAD on Wednesday 6 March 2024. Tahir Elçi was murdered on 28 November 2015 in a shooting attack when he called for a ceasefire and denounced the extensive destruction of the historic district of Sur, the old town of Diyarbarkir. Elçi had been the target of death threats a few weeks before his murder, particularly on social networks, and had been harassed after refusing to label the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) a terrorist organisation during a television broadcast on 14 October 2015. At the last hearing on 6 March 2024, all the requests made by Tahir Elci’s lawyers and the Diyarbakir Bar Association were rejected, and the case was adjourned to 12 June for final indictment. The lawyers representing the family of the former Bar President strongly criticised the court’s complacency towards the accused police officers and the lack of a proper preliminary investigation, a criticism that had already been raised by observers at previous hearings. The integrity and courage of Tahir Elçi, […]
TURKEY: The OIAD and the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders stand by the Saturday Mothers’ lawyers
February 27, 2024 marked the opening of the first trial following the decision of the Turkish Constitutional Court, which confirmed that Galatasaray Square is a public space where demonstrations are allowed. Lawyer Oya Meriç Eyüboğlu was among the defendants in the trial. For more than 20 years, the Saturday Mothers (Cumartesi Anneleri/İnsanları in Turkish) have gathered peacefully in Istanbul’s Galatasaray Square in the form of a vigil every Saturday at noon to demand accountability for the enforced disappearances that took place in the 1980s and 1990s in Turkey. On 16 November 2022, the Turkish Constitutional Court recognised the legitimacy of the Saturday Mothers gatherings. This decision, confirmed again on 29 March 2023, allowed the movement to demonstrate peacefully on Galatasaray Square. However, the Turkish authorities attempted to suppress the movement by restricting access to Galatasaray Square. Given this blatant restriction of the right to peaceful demonstration, the authorities have not hesitated to attack the lawyers representing the movement. Some of the Saturday Mothers’ lawyers have also been targeted. The International Observatory for Lawyers in Danger was in Istanbul, Turkey, with the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint programme of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) […]
COLOMBIA: Preview and round table discussion on the documentary about the Colombian lawyer Adil Meléndez
On 27 February, the “Teatro del barrio” in Madrid hosted the preview of the documentary “Desterrados: Voces de Resistencia”, where a glimpse of what this series about the work and life of Colombian lawyer Adil Meléndez could look like was presented. This documentary was co-financed by the International Observatory for Lawyers in Danger, to support the visibility of the lawyer’s work defending the rights of Afro-Colombian communities in the Caribbean region. Following the screening, several thematic panels were held, during which experts in the defence of human rights in Colombia analysed the socio-political context and the personal security situation of Adil Meléndez. Gonzalo Sáenz, representative of the OIAD, presented the background to the work that the OIAD has carried out on behalf of the lawyer since 2018. Recently, the lawyer reported that his bodyguards had informed him that the National Protection Unit (UNP)[1] had withdrawn its security plan. As a result, the Observatory has been mobilised to ensure that the lawyer can return to his country with guarantees of safety. “Ever since I began my struggle as a lawyer, I have made sure that I have back-up, always someone behind me to support me, and that is the international organisations. […]
Announcement /International Fair Trial Day 2024: the Philippines
Via Tsuji (2010) / Flickr The Steering Groupe of the International Fair Trial Day (IFTD) in which OIAD participates, announces the Philippines as 2024’s focus country. Save the date of 14 June 2024 where fair trial rights issues in the Philippines will be addressed on the IFTD conference. Additionally, we announce that call for nominations for the Ebru Timtik Award is open until 1 May 2024. In 2021, a group of lawyers and lawyers’ organisations came together to establish an annual International Fair Trial Day (IFTD) to be observed every year on 14 June. This initiative is supported by more than 100 legal associations across the world, all of which are committed to the vital importance of the right to a fair trial and the serious challenges to due process rights worldwide. They established a Steering Group for the organisation of IFTD. The decision to establish an IFTD was also accompanied by the establishment of the Ebru Timtik Award. The Steering Group is formed by a number of other prominent organisations taking part in the work, including the OIAD. Several nominations were received for this year’s IFTD focus country. Following due consideration of the proposals, the Philippines has been chosen […]
TURKEY: THE INTERNATIONAL LEGAL COMMUNITY CONDEMNS THE DETENTION OF FOUR ÇHD LAWYERS AND THE RAID ON THEIR OFFICE
The OIAD[1], together with the undersigned organisations, condemns the detention of lawyers Didem Baydar Ünsal, Berrak Çağlar, Seda Şaraldı and Betül Vangölü Kozağaçlı, members of the Progressive Lawyers Association (ÇHD), following a raid on their office in Istanbul on February 6, 2024. On February 6, 2024, following an armed attack on the largest court building (Çağlayan Courthouse) in Istanbul, two assailants were shot dead by the police. According to police sources, the attackers were members of the Revolutionary People’s Liberation Party/Front (DHKP/C). Following this attack, several offices of various organisations were raided and ransacked by police forces in Istanbul. Among them is the People’s Law Office, where four lawyers, members of ÇHD, were detained. Didem Baydar Ünsal, Berrak Çağlar, Seda Şaraldı and Betül Vangölü Kozağaçlı have since remained in custody in Vatan Police Headquarters awaiting to be transferred to the courthouse. The detained lawyers have been denied access to their lawyers for 24 hours following their detention. Due to the confidentiality order on the case file, colleagues acting as defence counsel are also unable to access to the content of the file. Such restrictions to the defence rights rule out the possibility of knowing the ongoing accusations against these lawyers […]
INTERVENTI DI URGENZA
Procedura di studio dei casi
Ogniqualvolta l’Osservatorio viene informato di un caso di avvocato a rischio, si attiva una procedura di verifica delle informazioni trasmesse e di valutazione delle circostanze del caso.
Verifica dei casi
Il gruppo di lavoro dell’Osservatorio si occupa di verificare che i casi segnalati rientrino nell’ ambito di competenza dell’organismo, tentando inoltre di assicurare la veridicità delle istanze in esame.
L’Osservatorio è andato gradualmente a costruire una rete di contatti presso le organizzazioni internazionali, regionali, le rappresentanze diplomatiche e gli organismi professionali degli avvocati.
Questa rete di contatti gli consente di avere accesso a una serie di informazioni relative alle circostanze in cui può trovarsi un determinato avvocato.
L’Osservatorio farà tutto il possibile per mettersi in contatto con l’avvocato coinvolto (e con le persone a lui vicine) al fine di acquisire ulteriori informazioni in merito alle circostanze del caso e di ottimizzare le azioni di tutela.
La valutazione dei casi
Una volta conclusa la procedura di verifica e raccolta di informazioni, il gruppo di valutazione dell’Osservatorio procede a studiare le circostanze e la gravità di queste ultime; formulerà, poi, le proprie raccomandazioni in merito alle azioni da intraprendere per fornire assistenza all’avvocato in difficoltà.
Le procedure di verifica e valutazione vengono effettuate in tempi ridotti, in modo tale da poter offrire una risposta tempestiva ad ogni emergenza.
Una volta che il gruppo di valutazione ha formulato le proprie raccomandazioni, l’Osservatorio si occupa di metterle in atto in accordo con l’avvocato in pericolo e le persone a lui vicine.
Nessuna azione viene intrapresa dall’Osservatorio senza il consenso dell’avvocato coinvolto.
Fondato nel 2015, L’OIAD persegue l’obiettivo di tutelare gli avvocati minacciati durante l’esercizio della professione e di denunciare i casi in cui viene leso il diritto alla difesa.
Le azioni portanti dell’osservatorio consistono nel coordinamento dei casi segnalati, nell’offerta di sostegno sul campo e nello svolgimento di iniziative formative.
DI COSA SI OCCUPA L’OSSERVATORIO?
Fondato nel 2015, L’OIAD persegue l’obiettivo di tutelare gli avvocati minacciati durante l’esercizio della professione e di denunciare i casi in cui viene leso il diritto alla difesa.
Le azioni portanti dell’osservatorio consistono nel coordinamento dei casi segnalati, nell’offerta di sostegno sul campo e nello svolgimento di iniziative formative.